Christopher Parisi
In the military, there is often a conflict between following orders and self-preservation. This is particularly highlighted in the film Saving Private Ryan. The main focus of the film is to save a soldier who has lost three brothers. However, this involves risking the lives of eight other men. They put themselves in horrific danger, and ultimately four of them die to save this one soldier. They spend a large portion of their journey complaining about the futility and foolishness of their mission. At one point, one man nearly deserts. It can be quite difficult to follow any order, knowing it puts your life in danger. This becomes even more difficult when you do not agree with the ultimate goal, especially if it does not ultimately help to end the war, as was the case with Saving Private Ryan.
It can be even more difficult to follow orders if it puts your own men in danger. They trust you to keep them safe, and when you are ordered to put them in danger, it can create significant internal conflict. Captain Miller justified his losses by saying the men he lost ultimately saved lives as it brought the war closer to an end. It greatly frustrated him that the same cannot be said for his last mission, as that would ultimately save only one man, and do little to end the war. However, saving the bridge to allow units to pass through France quickly did ultimately bring to the war to a slightly quicker end. Even so, it can be incredibly difficult to persuade yourself and others to fulfill a very life threatening order, as all of our instincts tell us to put self-preservation above all else.